Mental Health

Dealing with NTM lung disease, and the changes it makes to your lifestyle, can be difficult to cope with. Many patients report feeling isolated or alone, because the people around them do not really understand what it is like to have this disease or how serious it is, and a number of patients report that dealing with the illness and its impact on their lives leaves them feeling depressed.

If you have felt (or are still feeling) this way, you are not alone. You will need all your physical and mental resources to fight the NTM infection, so you should not shoulder the burden of the psychological impact alone – nor should you try to do so. Some patients see a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist to help them deal with this, and you should do so as well if you feel you need the added support. Consider this person another member of your “treatment team,” because a positive attitude is essential.